Red & Silver

Chapter 19: Family Secrets

"Come on, Red," Ulrich smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm obviously joking. Beatrice and I were just friends, though I wouldn't have minded going out with her..." A mix of sadness and longing washed over his face, making me wonder if he had feelings for my grandmother at some point.

"Like grandma would ever go out with you," I muttered sarcastically.

"You should have seen your face, dear girl. It was quite funny," he said, chuckling.

I scoffed in reply, rolling my eyes at him. Ulrich walked to a desk with drawers and opened one of them. He pulled out a couple of photos and handed them to me. "Here, so you believe what I said," he told me, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

I examined the photos closely. In one picture, a younger version of Ulrich stood next to my grandma, both shaking hands in what appeared to be this very same cabin. Their expressions were friendly, but there was an intensity in their gazes that hinted at something deeper. My heart clenched slightly, wondering what could have been between them.

The other photo showed my whole family: I saw myself as a child, beaming brightly with innocence; my mother, graceful and strong; my grandma, still as fierce and beautiful as ever; and my dad... He wore that ridiculous "Dad Bod" shirt and nostalgia warmed my chest like a sip of hot cocoa on a winter's day. I remembered Grandad taking us these pictures, it was the last time we were all together before he died of pneumonia. We had a barbecue in the forest and I was filled with blissful joy.

"Wow," I breathed, unable to tear my gaze away from the images of the past. "I never thought I'd see these again."

"Your grandmother sometimes gave me pictures of her family," Ulrich explained, his voice soft.

I smiled as I turned the photo over. On its back, I noticed a handwritten message: "To my friend Ulrich". It was undeniably my grandmother's handwriting.

"I'm sorry for not recognizing you, Red," Ulrich said with sincerity. "I haven't seen any recent pictures of you."

I shrugged. "It's okay. Can I keep this photo, though? The one with my family?" I asked, clutching the precious memory.

"Of course," he replied, nodding.

I carefully slid the photo into my pants' rear pocket, ensuring it was safe. Ulrich then moved to an old, comfy armchair and sat down, facing Silver, Ylfa, and me. His expression turned serious as he looked at each of us.

"Please, listen to an old man's story without judgment or anger," he requested, his voice heavy with emotion. "What I am about to reveal to you, I've never told anyone before." We all looked at him expectantly.

Ulrich began his story by recounting how he met Beatrice back when she was a Black Hood, before she became the Matriarch. "She was beautiful, brave, and cunning. The only Hood who managed to find the Nightshade Clan's location," he said, admiration in his voice.

As he spoke, I tried to picture my grandma as the fierce woman he described. It was difficult, but I could see glimpses of her in his words. Ulrich continued, explaining that something had made Beatrice change her perspective on werewolves.

"Beatrice started to see werewolves as what they were... Not bloodthirsty, mindless beasts, but people," he said, pausing for emphasis. "People who had been cursed with a terrible disease."

My eyes widened at this revelation, and I looked over at Silver, wondering how he felt. He seemed deep in thought, his brow furrowed as he processed Ulrich's words. I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. What did Silver think of his own condition? Did it hurt him when he turned?